Valencia MotoGP: CRTs Dominate 2nd Practice

When practice began Friday Morning for Valencia MotoGP, the first session was plagued by wet conditions.

Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden came out on top in FP1, but didn’t lead the time sheets in free practice two Friday afternoon.

During FP2, which was also held under wet conditions, Hayden finished third as the top MotoGP bike, behind San Carlo Honda Gresini CRT’s Michele Pirro and the leader, Power Electronics Aspar CRT’s Randy de Puniet.

When FP2 wrapped up, the top 11 positions would be filled with CRTs and three Ducati prototypes.

The Frenchman de Puniet posted a 1:36.965, showing the competitiveness of the CRT machines in damp conditions. Although De Puniet was quickest, he had some mechanical issues three minutes from the end of the 45-minute FP2 session.

Pirro finished 0.119 of a second behind, with Hayden in third, 0.424 of a second behind. Although Cardion AB Racing Ducati’s Karel Abraham only put in seven laps aboard is satellite Ducati, he finished FP2 fourth quickest, 0.817 of a second behind de Puniet. Abraham was the final rider to post within a second of the leader.

Another Ducati followed, this one ridden by Ducati Team’s Valentino Rossi. The nine-time World Champion fifth quickest, 1.150 seconds behind de Puniet. Rossi was the first prototype to run the Valencia circuit on slicks, though he took it easy due to the damp conditions.

Sixth fastest was another CRT – the Ioda Racing Project (Suter-BMW) piloted by Danilo Petrucci. Behind in seventh was Avintia Blusens Ivan Silva, who was followed by Speed Master’s Roberto Rolfo, Paul Bird Motorsport’s James Ellison and Avintia’s Hiroshi Aoyama.

Yamaha Factory Racing’s World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, as well as the Repsol Honda Team duo of Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner were among those not to complete a flying lap, with very little to be learned in such conditions, MotoGP says.

The riders will return to Valencia Saturday morning for the third and final free practice session ahead of qualifying.